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Freese draws career-high four walks against Sox

4/27/14: David Freese blasts a solo home run to right-center field, giving the Angels a 2-1 lead

By Alden Gonzalez and Matthew DeFranks
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MLB.com |

ANAHEIM -- In the first 33 games of his season, David Freese walked five times. He nearly matched that total Sunday.

Freese drew a career-high four walks and scored a run during the Angels' 4-2 sweep-clinching win over the White Sox on Sunday. He became the fifth Angels third baseman to record four walks in a game, the first since Chone Figgins in 2007. He now has 10 walks in the last nine games.

Freese's four free passes helped No. 5 hitter Josh Hamilton come up with runners in scoring position in each of his four at-bats. In his sixth game back from a thumb injury, Hamilton went 2-for-4 with three RBIs. As a team, the Angels drew seven walks.

"David will take the walk when it's there, particularly with guys is scoring position," Angels manager Mike Scioscia said. "He did a great job of passing down the baton. He wasn't getting anything to hit. Josh was behind him and made up for it. When we're going well as a team, I think guys are going to pass that baton to the next guy."

Each of Freese's plate appearances began with a ball before he ran the count full. The four-walk day snapped Freese's six-game hitting streak, when he was 8-for-19 (.421) with an OPS of 1.015.

The third baseman struggled early in the season, hitting just .202/.266/.286 before missing 16 games with a fracture in his right middle finger. Since returning to the lineup May 20, Freese is sporting a .270/.352/.317 slash line with seven RBIs in 17 games. Last season, Freese hit .163 in April before batting .274 the rest of the way.

"Hopefully seeing the ball well will continue to move towards his power," Scioscia said. "He can really drive the ball and that's one thing we haven't quite seen this year."

Freese only has two home runs this season after hitting 29 in the past two seasons. He has not hit a homer since April 27.

After dropping seven of 10 during an 11-day road trip, the Angels have now won three in a row and welcome division-leading Oakland the Angel Stadium for a three-game set beginning Monday.